1950 Royal KMG #KMG 4256355
Status: My Collection
Hunter: James Grooms (jgrooms)
Created: 04-22-2024 at 07:34AM
Last Edit: 02-01-2025 at 08:53PM
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Description:
Bliss in the ordinary!
In motorcycle collecting, we call these survivors. A machine that was little used, and either by design or luck, sat in an environment that reduced the impact of time and the environment.
This KMG, straight off the farm, appears to have seen minimal use. With the exception of an obvious different tab cover, and bad feet, it is in fantastic condition and was an easy clean and detail. My first thought was it was a rebuild, but upon inspection there are no painted screw heads, overspray, etc, She's original except for the mismatched tab cover.
You wanna type? Well there is a reason KMM/KMGs were the best selling standard of that era.
An interesting aside, the name of it. The "Gray Magic" didn't quite stick. By 51 or so the dealers have clearly decided that it is a KMG (keyset magic gray).
It is curious why Royal stuck with ringed keys when everyone else was onto plastic as an effective marketing aid and it had to be significantly more cost effective.
These 'tombstone' keys answer some of it. The shape is similar to a plastic key's cup shape. They are acrylic as were the cupped round KMMs, but the biggest improvement is the elimination of the lip rise over the top. So they are as effective in improving the typing action as a plastic key and when someone says "a KMG is essentially a KMM," well not quite. Someone at Royal was a traditionalist or they just wanted to carry over the portable look to the standard?
9/10 for typing and a hard get with ringed keys. Try one portables only people.
5/5 for controls. It all works. Easy touch adj - ck. Easy carriage tension adj - ck.
3/3 for service. Excellent ribbon system - ck. Pop out platen - ck. Remove the tray and easy escapement access - ck.
3/3 fitnfinish. It is how many years old? I'd say the build quality speaks for itself.
2/3 on style. What kills these on that point is the fade to brown legends and so many are sad examples of their new self, which show with the gray vs black.
22/24 or A,
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updated to 1950. I misread the main page because they sequenced in the RPs. There's a few others that are 49s that are actually 50s.
Typeface Specimen:
Links:
- Shift Motion- Motion
- Don't be so tense.
- Rockin Ribbons
- They didn't even bother with a new manual.
- A proper road test.
- 1951 model.
Photos:
Hunter: James Grooms (jgrooms)
James Grooms's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]
Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 9846
As with many, the bug is back there somewhere due to an Underwood No. 5. My grandparents had a No 5. My parents had a yellow Royal Safari that I used to index card everything, including a beer can collection. Collection syndrome clue! A casual interest in typewriters started with a garage sale 3 bank simply because it said Underwood on it. Typewriters were found here and there , but I wasn't actively looking for them. The long dormant collecting tic was activated when my neighbors left a Remington Quiet Riter on the curb when they moved.
Typewriters are the perfect blend of using one's technical skills, history and functional purpose. My goal is type tested machines. My interests are not isolated to anyone area. For example, I am a big fan of Smith Corona electrics, mid century electrics and all things Royal.
RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Royal KMG on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Royal Serial Number page and the Royal KMG By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.
